Oceans Apart
by BeautyNotBeast
Summary: Mack said they were dead, but she'd never heard anyone talk about ending up in a musical when you died. Bree didn't know how they ended up in her favorite movie, but they did, and while her cousin was constantly panicking about getting back home, she decided to enjoy herself. Little did she know, she'd catch the eye of her favorite character in the process. Butchy/OC
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Surprise

The endless sound of waves rumbling across the sand thrummed in the background throughout their entire day, accompanied by the salt-laced breeze whisking more of the fine grains up into the air. No matter where the trio was, the beach's natural anthem always played loud enough for them to hear and the wind continued to whip, trying to draw them back to the shoreline. As an answer to such a call, they spent most of their days riding across the rushing seawaters, laughing and goofing off like nobody else was watching until the sun began to set. Its fading light colored the sky in bright pinks and hazy reds with the occasional dash of orange that seeped into the ocean below easily. Headed back from their long day, the three walked along the sand, eagerly chattering about everything under the sun while the older brunette linked hands with the lanky, blond surfer boy.

"Best – day - _EVER_!" Brady shouted towards the waves happily, as each girl beside him laughed. "Yeah," Mack agreed, "It was pretty awesome, huh?"

"Awesome?" he questioned in disbelief. "Surfing all day – us being together? Awesome _wishes_ it was this awesome." "Yeah, it was perfect," Mack settled with Brady nodding in agreement. The two lovebirds playfully started swinging their intertwined hands back and forth, both lost in each other's eyes.

"Nice to know that I'm also loved," the younger brunette sounded beside her cousin, sending a knowing glance to the couple as Brady and Mack both looked her way with slight guilt written across their faces. She knew whenever she went out with these two she would always ends up the third wheel, but today had been fun, so it hadn't bothered her as much as it usually did. Dishing out little jabs about their lack of acknowledgement towards her was just her way of making fun of them for being _so_ love-struck.

"Oh come on Bree, you know today wouldn't have been complete without you!" Mack reassured, bumping the shorter girl's shoulder with her own for emphasis. "Yeah, well, I'm positive you guys didn't even know I was there about eighty-five percent of the time," she quipped, an amused smirk curling her lips.

Ever since Mack had met Brady, it was as if her cousin was lost in a whole other world, constantly daydreaming when he wasn't there or out surfing with him when he was. The sisterly relationship sustained between the two girls had grown a bit strained near the beginning, but after a few weeks and Bree was properly introduced to Brady, he stated that he was more than happy to have another surfer join them on their everyday adventures which for the most part ended up mending things. The trio became inseparable, spending day-after-day together out on the waves.

"Listen, I promise we won't ignore you at all tomorrow, alright?" Brady grinned over at Bree, who casually rolled her eyes at his promise.

At the mention of the following day, Mack trained her eyes on the sand banks ahead, ignoring how the seaside wind swept strands of her hair from her two messy braids. "Um…listen Brady…" she started, her face now drawn in a look of concentration, but the boy beside her didn't seem to notice. "Oh, did you hear about tomorrow?!" he exclaimed, jumping up like a small puppy. "Yeah!" she gasped, her mind now diverted onto another, more uplifting topic. "I mean, can you believe they're talking about forty foot waves?!"

Bree rolled her eyes once more, knowing that Mack still needed to tell Brady about the new school she was going to attend. Also, the fact that their Aunt was coming to get her tomorrow, but each time Mack came close to telling him, they'd suddenly get drawn into another conversation or she couldn't muster up the courage to tell him. If her cousin would just ask, Bree would tell him, but Mack had practically made her promise not to say anything until she was ready.

"There's supposed to be a huge storm coming up from the North," Bree supplied, looking out over the horizon with a stiff smile.

"I mean, a surf like that only happens once every – _thirty_ years!" Her cousin's smile got brighter, swinging her and Brady's hands a little more with a skip in her step. "Can you imagine dropping in on a barrel that - that _huge_!" Brady shouted, overly-excited. They all laughed, anticipating the next day though clearly for different reasons; Mack was obviously trying to appear enthusiastic while her cousin did the same. "Summer's not over yet!" he hollered, letting his voice echo over the waves with another whoop of joy.

"Come on, I'm starving," Mack nodded in the direction of the house, dragging her two friends with her. "Race you to the house!" Brady sprinted towards the porch with Bree closely behind him, though the older brunette lagged behind.

"I clearly won!" he announced at the top step of the porch. "Hey!" Bree called in defense, setting her surfboard next to his against the side of the house, unfortunately chipping a piece of the dainty yellow paint with it. "Yeah, yeah," Mack lulled.

"First thing tomorrow we hit the beach and that awesome surf!" Entering the colorful beach shack, Bree walked ahead of the couple after hearing her cousin attempt at telling Brady the news for the second time that day. The familiar scent of salt mixed with a heavy cologne rose to her attention first as she walked back through the house, only to find her Grandpa cleaning up one of his old surfboards. With his white hair fluffed up at the front and his bushy eyebrows pulled together in concentration, he didn't seem to notice her presence beside him until Brady appeared in the doorway. "Hey!" he called, making them both turn back to look at him.

"What's up bro?" Grandpa asked, semi-paying attention.

"I'm here too you know?" Bree nudged him, earning a small grin from the older man.

"I can't believe you two are watching this without me!" Inching towards the two, Brady leaned against the board currently on the table, his eyes intently watching the tiny screen in front of them. The same as every day _Wet Side Story_ played with the classical sixties characters dancing and singing across the screen; the music, bright colors, and outfits still just as interesting as they were the first time any of them had seen the movie. "If you're here, we're not," Grandpa smiled slightly, drawing away from his work on the surfboard.

"Please tell me this isn't_" "Wet Side Story!" Grandpa, Bree, and Brady all chimed together, bumping fists. "Yeah, _that_ ," Mack stated grimly.

"Ah," Brady lazily rolled his head to the side, "Nineteen sixty-two, surfers, bikers – best movie ever made!"

"How can you three like this silliness? Especially you Bree, and Grandpa." Trudging into the room, Mack stood at the end of the table, waiting for them to provide some sort of argument in defense. "Silliness?" Grandpa questioned as if she had insulted him, "Mack, my dear, this movie defined an entire culture!" "Exactly!" Bree agreed as Brady went on to further explain. "A surfer guy and a biker girl share a secret love while trying to unite the rivaling gangs as an evil real estate mogul tries to turn their hang-out into a resort."

Bumping his arm fervently, the young brunette picked up where he left off, "Don't forget that he tries by building a weather machine which blows up creating a massive storm!" Bree flung her hands back as an example, smiling as both men nodded their confirmation. "Silliness, _really_?"

"Well, can we watch it later because I really need to talk to you." Mack urged, seeming rather impatient. "Just watch my favorite part," he faced the screen again while Bree sent her cousin a sympathetic look. At least she was trying to tell him, so Bree couldn't take points off for that.

"When the two leads eyes meet," Brady narrated, "and they're pulled apart by the rivalling gangs." Everyone silently watched the TV, staring as one of the female characters sang and clumsily fell off the stage into the waiting arms of the other male lead. "And this – this is my favorite part," Grandpa pointed out just as Butchy, the girl Lela's big brother and arguably one of Bree's favorite characters, pried her away from the surfer guy. Suddenly, there was a dance battle between Butchy joined by his bikers and the surfers who had all come to their friend's aid.

"Come on," Mack sighed, not even paying mind to the screen anymore. "They sing for no reason, they come out of the water and their hair is totally dry, the girls never surf as well as the boys, and they sing for no reason. I mentioned that one again because even the second time, I don't get why."

"But it's always summer," Bree beamed. "Plus everyone just sings and surfs," Brady finished.

An abrupt knocking sounded from the front door, where both girls hurried over to answer it while Mack continued her argument. "Now, really, the surfing looks fake. They'd drown on a real wave – seriously, I mean, they sing in the ocean and never spit out water."

Before either of them could reach for the doorknob, someone pulled it open, revealing the scrutinizing gaze of their Aunt Antoinette. "Surprise," she announced, no trace of amusement in her voice while entering. Bree and Mack shared a brief glance of bewilderment, scrambling for something to say as Brady could be seen making his way over to them. "What's wrong girls? Aren't you going to give your Aunt Antoinette a hug?" Dressed in a pristine business outfit of mostly yellow and orange hues, the older woman welcomed the two girls with open arms, her jacket thrown over one of them.

Mack was the first to move forward, circling her arms around the woman's neck as she made a small noise of protest until Bree stepped up to do the same. "Well, you both are so…" she paused, trying to find an appropriate word, "Grown up. You both look absolutely – _unacceptable_!" Eyes going wide, Bree and Mack opened their mouths, prepared to defend themselves before their Aunt waved them off.

"Not you dearies," she turned, displaying the miniscule black device hooked around her ear as she talked to someone on the other end. "Tell him the offer is unacceptable. It's good to see you McKenzie, Brianne."

Their Aunt ventured onward, inspecting the furniture sitting around the shack with obvious distaste. "What are you doing here?" Mack lastly spoke up, "I thought you were coming tomorrow?"

"Well you thought wrong. We're _leaving_ tomorrow. I hope you packed," Aunt Antoinette corrected her, while Brady's face turned into a scowl of confusion. The yellow of his rash guard reflected brightly in his dark eyes, showing the uncertainty as it also played on his face. "Mack, what does she mean by 'leaving tomorrow'?"

Aware of the fourth presence in the room, Aunt Antoinette turned with a critical expression pulling at her features. "A-ah – this is Brady," Mack stuttered as she watched their Aunt offer him a hand.

"Brady," her tone slightly read disapproval though she showed no signs of it on her face, "I am McKenzie and Brianne's Aunt. I'm sure they've told you all about me."

Choosing to ignore the woman's introduction, Brady still gazed over her shoulder at Mack and Bree. "Mack, what does she mean by 'leaving tomorrow'?"

Saving either of the girls from having to answer, Grandpa stepped out from the back room, a warm smile lighting his face. "Antoinette, welcome home."

"Oh, hello Father," she greeted formally, providing numerous air kisses without once actually coming close to his face.

"You know it's always good to…have you back…" Grandpa trailed off after seeing that she had forced her jacket into his arms. "Oh," Aunt Antoinette released with an air of disapproval, "I see you're still making…surfboards." Brady glanced back to the older man with a puzzled look, just as their Aunt placed a hand over her heart, feigning fright. "Oh, don't tell me – you still have that."

Everyone's eyes went to Grandpa's old surfboard hung above the doorframe. Its sleek body was laid horizontally, still polished and fresh as if it were waiting to hit the waves again. "Still have it?" Mack questioned in disbelief, "I mean, we all grew up with the legends about this board; it's part of the family."

"Me, your grandfather, and his father, we each found our destiny on it," Grandpa explained, mindlessly fooling with Antoinette's jacket as she waved her hand dismissively.

"There is only one way to 'find your destiny' McKenzie," she even managed small air quotes with her fingers before placing a hand on each of Mack's shoulders, "And that is too…?" The question hung in the air for several moments while Mack tried to sort through her mind, where Antoinette soon grew tired and simply answered instead. "Work hard for it," she finalized.

"Okay, alright," Brady snapped, "Mack, Bree, what does she mean by 'leaving tomorrow'?"

"Brady, as of tomorrow, one of my nieces will be attending the exclusive, overpriced, and did I mention exclusive – Dunwitch Preparatory Academy." Both girls watched helplessly as a look of betrayal and sadness washed over his face, a measly "what?" escaping his lips.

"Back East," Aunt Antoinette added which had his face crumbling even more.

"Antoinette, we should talk about this, please," Grandpa ushered her into the other room, but their Aunt stopped.

"There is nothing to talk about," she basically hissed. "This has always been the deal." Unable to find a reasonable point to argue out of that, Grandpa simply released a breath while Aunt Antoinette rounded on Mack, her stiff smile coming back within seconds. "Isn't that right McKenzie?"

Three different faces stared back at them as Bree quietly grabbed her cousin's hand, squeezing it for reassurance. Grandpa gazed at them blankly, unable to help fight against one of his own daughter's while drifting off to stare at something else. Aunt Antoinette had one of her polite smiles glued in place, waiting zealously to hear Mack agree; Brady being the exact opposite. His face conveyed his hurt just as much as his eyes, staring sadly at Mack in hopes that this was all some joke – that it wasn't true. And Bree was there to support whatever Mack decided; no matter if it was going with her Aunt across the country or staying and surfing with them for the rest of the summer, she would still help her cousin out in any way she could.

"Sure," the word floated to the ceiling as Brady's gaze dropped to the floor. "It's just tomorrow there are these extreme conditions I have been waiting my entire life to surf and I_"

"Surf?" Aunt Antoinette shook her head, "Oh, sweetheart, your new life begins tomorrow." Mack's guilty eyes travelled over to Brady, the both of them appearing utterly destroyed by her words. "Your endless summer has…it's come to an end." Without protest, Mack darted towards the door, the tears evident in her dark eyes, pulling Bree along with her until they were both outside.

Brady made an appearance not long after, strutting right up to the both of them as they sat on the porch railing with a frown, "Can't believe you didn't tell me."

"Come on, Brady, she's been trying to tell you all day but you wouldn't listen to her!" Bree hopped down, spotting his eyes widening from where she stood.

"You knew too?!" "Brady," Mack drew his attention away from her, "You don't understand how hard I tried, I just – I didn't know how!"

"You're leaving, just like that? Why are they making you do this?" the sadness filled his eyes all over again, replacing the anger that had been there moments before.

"They're not making me, it's my choice," she clarified. "So change your mind!" seemed to be his only response. "There's not enough time! My flight leaves at noon tomorrow."

"How can you leave?! This is your home! Your family lives here!" Brady frantically motioned to Bree, "It's where you surf! It's where _I_ am!"

"I was really lucky to get into this school Brady," Mack tried to settle him down. "My Aunt says it'll pave the way to my future!" Rolling his eyes in exasperation, one look and Bree could tell he was not at all okay with this idea. "Look, I know you're upset and I should've told you, I just – I didn't know how!" Jumping off the railing, Mack scurried around to the other side of the house with Brady and her cousin chasing after her.

Grasping her waist, he pulled her around to face him, "Stop! What was this deal your Aunt was talking about?!" Bree watched hesitantly as Mack took in a deep breath and released it slowly. "After we lost my mom, the deal that I made with my Aunt was that I could stay here with my grandfather and Bree for the first part of high school. And then, when it was time to get serious, I would leave with my Aunt and go to this school like she did."

"S-so, she just shows up to take you away?" At a loss for words, Brady shook his head, "Aren't you happy here?"

Looking down at the small leather-bound notebook in her hands, Mack glanced up, "This is my Mom's journal." Bree and Brady both eyed the little thing solemnly, listening as their friend quoted something her Mother said. "'Most of all, I dream that my daughter becomes a great success - that she isn't just pulled through life, but marches through it triumphantly.'"

"She sounds amazing." "Yeah," she nodded, "My mom wanted to go to college, and make something of herself, but…she had me. Time passed and…she never got to live out that dream."

"That's not your fault," Bree and Brady replied in unison, affectionately comforting Mack in whatever way they could at the moment. "I know it's not," she marched past them, "But I also know that I can do what she never had a chance too."

"You don't have to be who your Aunt is! Mack, you can be anything you want!" "Brady, I have to do this!" Scampering off in attempt to go back inside and escape the following conversation, Brady shot out the one question Bree was sure Mack didn't want to answer.

"What about _us_?"

"How can there be an _us_ after today?" she asked, her resolve growing weaker by the second. Powerlessly searching for an answer, Brady's eyes scoured her face, hoping what she was saying wasn't true.

"I'll wait for you," he declared. "I know what it feels like to miss someone Brady," Mack shook her head, "I care about you too much to ever put you through that."

"So you're saying you care about me enough to break up with me?" The boy couldn't make sense of what she was saying. "I don't want to Brady, but…what choice do I have?" It was as if the words had finally sunk in, and Brady turned away, silently leaning against the railing where Mack soon joined him, snuggling next to his shoulder.

"Thanks…" she lastly added, "For the most amazing summer of my life. I wish it wasn't over..."

Watching her cousin retreat back into the shack, Bree allowed her gaze to trail over to Brady. They stood together in a minute of silence, both not knowing what to say as the waves persisted in their rhythm. The afternoon sun had almost completely set as stars took to the sky, and without a word Bree inched closer, gently squeezing his arm for comfort. "You'll always be welcome at the Shop Brady, even if you don't want to come around anymore."

"Thanks," he stated, a hard edge in his tone that she knew wasn't aimed at her. "I'll see you around Bree." And just like that, his gangly form darted off down the shoreline after snatching up his board, leaving the younger brunette to clean up the broken pieces of the two teens' shattered hearts before morning came.

Trudging back inside, Bree was slightly relieved to see that their Aunt had had sense enough to leave the shack, for an eerie sort of silence settled over the usually joyous atmosphere from her visit. A quick glance to her left brought the warm summer colors of _Wet Side Story_ back into her vision as the television in Grandpa's workroom was still on, though it was now muted. The characters carrying on with their always-enthusiastic lives without a care in the world, completely oblivious to the events that had just taken place right in front of their screen. If only the world today was as simple as it was in that movie, then everyone could end up happy.

On her way back to their shared room, the younger brunette could've sworn she saw a flicker of light sparkle from that old surfboard hung above the doorway. Surely, it was just her imagination; after all, there were a lot of emotions running high at the moment. If things didn't calm down, who knows what could happen? Bree could start seeing her Aunt's face pop out of the shadows at night like a ghost. Shaking her head vigorously to rid herself of such an image, she tapped on the wood of their bedroom door, hearing the sounds of quiet sobbing on the other side.

"Mack?" she whispered, closing the door behind her. Sure enough, her cousin was hunched over on her twin bed, hurriedly wiping away the tears that trekked down her cheeks. Navigating across the creaky wooden floorboards, Bree plopped down next to her, squeezing her shoulder lovingly. "Mack, it's okay."

"No, it's not!" Mack wrenched a pillow away from the top of the bed, hugging it tightly. "I-I didn't want to h-hurt him," she sniffled, "I k-kept trying to tell him."

"I know," Bree stroked her cousin's back. "Everything will work out okay. There's no need to cry."

"I j-just…I thought I would have more time. I thought I'd be able to explain everything to him so he'd understand. Aunt Antoinette wasn't supposed to show up so soon…" With her tears lessening, Mack took to mindlessly tracing invisible patterns on the pillows surface; eyes puffy and irritated. "Now I'll have to leave things the way they are, and I won't get to surf those awesome waves." The longing clearly colored her tone, and Bree couldn't imagine even going to the beach the next day without her cousin. Mack was meant to surf those waves.

"Well, your flight doesn't leave until noon, right?" The older brunette lifted her head at the other girl's question, curiously drawing her dark eyebrows together. "Yeah, but you know if Aunt Antoinette finds out_" "Oh forget Aunt Antoinette for a minute. You said it yourself, a surf like this only happens every thirty years! You can't miss out on something like that! That way, if even she does get angry at you for almost missing the flight, you can say you got to experience something you never could anywhere else." Such a plan was promising, but risky, and it could prohibit Mack from ever returning depending on how mad their Aunt was, yet it needed to happen.

If this was their last time ever surfing together for no-telling-how-long, Bree was determined for it to be the most awesome day of their lives.

* * *

Hello everyone! Yes, this is the end of the first chapter and if you've come across this because you follow me, note that I have not given up on any of my other unfinished stories, my creative juices have just run dry as of late.

Writer's block has been pretty intense over the last few weeks, and I've been incredibly busy as well and that will continue for a while, so I'll try to update when I can. Honestly, this is just a test to see what kind of reactions I get for this story, so be sure to review and tell me what you think!

If I don't get much feedback, I probably won't continue it because I have others I could be working on, but I will if people seem to be enjoying it!

Also, I may post one or two more stories for different things up, just because I've written out several drafts for other things and want to see which ones do good and which ones don't. Though, if I get more positive feedback for this one, I will concentrate on it!

Thank you for reading! Remember to favorite, follow, and most importantly, review!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: All Washed Up

Dressed in her aqua blue rash guard with long, yellow-striped sleeves extending to her wrists, Bree made sure the shorts she wore matched before tying her long hair back. The sun was just starting to rise once she was completely ready, with her cousin Mack still sound asleep on the bed behind her; numerous suitcases sprawled out across the floor, practically glowing in the dark with their lime green hue. There was little evidence left of the tears from last night, seeing how her eyes were no longer agitated, and the trails previously streaking her face had faded.

This was her last day. Mack would be leaving in a few short hours.

Grandpa was awake when she walked into the kitchen, had been for what looked like hours with some darkening bags under his eyes. A tired smile lifted his features for only a few moments until they disappeared behind the rim of his coffee mug as he tilt it back, resting against the countertop. Clearly, he wasn't too happy about Mack leaving either.

Bree knew it wouldn't be the same around the shack without her cousin. After she left, it would just be her and Grandpa, as it had been for several years before Mack decided to join them in the Surf Shop. She wouldn't have anyone to surf with everyday unless Brady started talking to her again, no conflicting arguments over her favorite movie, and no one sleeping in the bed beside hers. Bree would be left alone…again. If only she could teach her Grandpa how to braid her hair like Mack did, then maybe the days to come wouldn't be so bad.

"I'm not going to stick around to see her off. I want to hit the waves before a lot of people get there." Her words echoed in the thickened silence, moments going by without a response which had the teen shifting anxiously until the older man merely nodded. "If that's what you want to do," was his only reply, making Bree feel slightly guilty for not staying to see her cousin leave. It wasn't like she was upset with Mack or anything, Bree just didn't want her last memory of her cousin to be some sappy goodbye. Avoiding another visit from Aunt Antoinette was also a major point for why she didn't want to wait around, but saying something like that would just come out rude.

Returning to her room to retrieve something, Bree was immensely surprised to see Mack up and moving around. The younger brunette watched soundlessly at the door as her cousin heaved the heavy suitcases onto the bed that would soon be left unoccupied, and hoped Mack had at least thought over what she said last night. They only had so much time before their Aunt came back. If she was going to surf, they needed to leave soon.

"I'm going down to the beach," Bree called, attracting her cousin's attention. A melancholy look cast over Mack's face, her head mindlessly nodding while she dressed. "Why don't you come too, Mack? Antoinette doesn't arrive until eleven thirty."

"No thanks Bree," the voice was hollow, definitely not Mack's voice. All the life had been drained out of it, like a painting once full of color turned black and white. Needless to say, it caused both their frowns to deepen.

"Okay then," the younger teen tried to sound uplifting, to keep a small smile in place, but her lips continued to quiver, causing her voice to sound shaky too. "I'll see you soon then." The younger brunette didn't even have to ask for her cousin to know what she was thinking, and the two teens embraced for what felt like forever, clinging to one another with hope that this wouldn't be the last time they saw each other. Bree hesitantly pulled away, flashing the briefest of smiles before squeezing her Mack's shoulder one final time. "You know where to find me if you change your mind."

* * *

As the stories claimed, the waves this morning were huge. Being something clearly none of the surfers had ever seen before, for everyone just stood on the beach, their boards at the ready, though no one could quite bring themselves to jump in. Bree shifted her weight from foot to foot nervously, so many thoughts running through her mind while she eyed the darkening storm clouds overhead. The sun was slowly falling victim to the gray, being overtaken by large clouds which left the coastline in an uncanny sense of tension. People knew if they didn't enjoy the waves now, soon they wouldn't be able to at all, but still, no one started towards the water.

Another solid wall of seawater curled forward, creating one of, if not _the_ largest barrel Bree had ever seen. Concerned chatter broken out between the line of surfers standing in front of her, drowning out the sound of the waves as each male dared the other to go first. It wasn't until then that Bree realized she was the only girl standing amongst the group of surfers, prepared to glide across insanely big waves; the rest were all guys. When Mack joined her, she'd never felt alone or self-conscience of herself like she did now. But Bree would have to get used to such feelings if she would be surfing by herself from now on.

A quick glance over her shoulder, and her green eyes latched onto the sight of another figure standing beside the lifeguard's chair. They too switched from foot to foot; seemingly tense, with their head moving in every direction as if searching for someone. The dark rash guard and shorts gave Bree a hint of who it could be, but it wasn't until she saw the familiar flower painted on the top of their board that she fully recognized who stood there: Mack.

"You made it," she smiled, running up to stand beside her cousin. Mack's shoulders immediately loosened at her presence, a relaxed grin forming her face while gripping Grandpa's board. "I was looking for you."

"Yeah, well," Bree shrugged, the feeling of loneliness she had experienced moments ago now gone. Her eyes cast over the group of surfers still talking idly back and forth, acknowledging everyone's fretful expressions which caused a sigh to part her lips, though nothing could currently move her smile. "I think it's pretty safe to say, no one wants to go first."

"I noticed that." Mack's gaze didn't stray from their line of sight directed at the waves. Either she was regretting her decision to come to the beach or she was just as unsure about surfing those waves as everybody else was. Her cousin trusted that it was the latter rather than the former, given Mack's expression wasn't one of guilt, but she could never really read her these days unless it was something obvious. "Are you going to go in?" Bree asked teasingly.

With an undoubtedly snappy comeback prepared, the older brunette had just opened her mouth when a recognizable figure appeared on her other side. The bright flash of yellow was enough for Bree to know who it was, instead of having to look, but it didn't take long for the lanky teenager to announce his presence himself. "S'up?"

"How'd you know I was going to be here?" Mack questioned, a hint of embarrassment coloring her tone as she bashfully looked away.

"For one, I knew you couldn't stay away from a surf like this. And two, I knew Bree would convince you," Brady concluded in a know-it-all tone of voice, which the younger brunette assumed was a cover for his true feelings. He was upset that Mack was leaving, she could understand that. The sadness dwelling behind his dark eyes was sufficient enough to tell her everything.

"Brady," her cousin started, "I'm glad you came, but…I told you_" "I just came to watch you and Bree surf. Not to propose," he interjected defensively. "Okay…" After releasing a long breath, Mack excitedly bumped his shoulder with hers, "Check out what I'm about to do."

While Mack took off towards the water, Bree and Brady both watched in growing silence. There wasn't any tension between them; actually it was more along the lines of understanding as they stared after their friend. Others took to the waves just as she did, already up on the boards and skating along with the water, but many fell, disappearing below the ocean for several heart-wrenching seconds before reappearing. Mack dove under one wave while it wiped out two more surfers and resurfaced moments later.

Paddling in the direction of an oncoming wave, Mack overcame another smaller one prior to standing on her board. She worked with the water to guide herself over various bumps of sea foam, happily playing amongst the current as Bree and Brady moved to get a better view. The younger brunette prepared herself to join her cousin, but stopped short when another face materialized by her side.

"Hey brah," her Grandpa greeted, joining them in their scouting. The darkness beneath his eyes now diminished to nothing. "You gotta see this. She's ripping it," Brady commented.

"Yeah," the older man supplied, as if he were biting back something. "I don't like the looks of the sky Brady." This caused both teens to turn and look at him, noticing the worried expression etched into his wrinkled face.

"I was thinking the same thing," Bree confessed. "Yeah, check it out." All three of them watched the waves carefully, noting how surfer after surfer continued to fall while Mack persisted in paddling out further. The clouds in the sky had grown darker, almost threatening in their looks and the sun was now just a sliver. "Yeah, that doesn't look good." Shaking his head, Brady's face morphed into a sign of distress, his eyes locked on Mack. Bree could sense the rising levels of fear and flickered her gaze towards her Grandpa. "She's got to get in. This looks bad."

Suddenly the green flag was replaced with red, and the lifeguard began waving it about hurriedly, his whistle blaring out over the beach. People retreated from the water, joining the growing numbers on land until almost everyone was out. That is, except for Mack.

"What is she doing?" Brady's voice sounded strained, his eyebrows drawing together in frustration. Sharing a short glance, neither teen was able to supply an answer, but watched with bated breath as Mack surfaced again, readying for the next wave. "She's not paddling in," Bree let out. "This isn't good."

Moments went by of the three tensely observing Mack out on the water, until Brady grasped the younger brunette's arm; a look of determination crossing his features. "Bree." That was all he said, yet that one word spoke enough to say exactly what he was planning. Leaving her board with her Grandpa, the two rushed off towards the water, snatching a pair of lifejackets from the nearest post. A Jet Ski rest against the sand banks ahead and Bree didn't even have to ask to know what to do.

Brady jumped on first, followed by the younger teen as the sense of urgency seemed to double in the air. Crashing through waves again and again caused them both to jump relentlessly, though the boy never once released his clutch on the acceleration. Finally they were within reach of Mack who sat atop her board, waiting for the next wave, when they stopped. "Mack!" Bree bellowed, catching her cousin's attention. "Don't do it!" Brady joined in.

"No, I have too!" was her only reply. "Don't do it!" "Mack!" their shouts echoed over the water as the older girl turned her head defiantly. The largest wave any of them had ever seen picked up behind her, carrying Mack to the shore while she leapt to her feet. Things seemed to be going smoother than expected, at least until the wave began to curl into a barrel, which rained down upon the girl like a thousand pound brick, sending her flailing into the water. Without protest, Brady sprang in after her, taking the key to the Jet Ski with him during his dive.

Sitting alone, waiting for the two of them to pop up out of the water, Bree looked about in a frenzy, trying to spot them in the water. "Mack?!" she hollered, "Brady?!" On cue, Grandpa's board sprang to the surface, riding along the waves without its rider which left the younger girl with a distinct feeling of dread. With the rate her head snapped around to look back at the beach, she was surprised her neck didn't break. There was no help coming, no one else was in the water, and the shore was too far away for her to get aid in time. Doing the only thing she could do at the moment, Bree hurdled herself into the water, diving beneath the surface after her friends.

The one thing she could remember of that moment was when everything went dark.

* * *

The burn of seawater stung her throat, spiraling into her nose which amplified the pain tenfold. Bree's eyes snapped open, revealing nothing but crystal blue water; the sun's rays reflecting off the surface several feet above her. Hazily, she could make out two dark figures a bit away, half submerged in the water, but was too frightened by the fact she was stuck underwater _drowning_ to care. Flailing in an effort to break the surface, she finally burst through, gasping and coughing as she went.

"Bree!?" two voices chorused at her side, easily identifiable as both Mack and Brady. Unable to answer as she was currently choking on seawater, the younger teen continued coughing; her voice would surely be rough and raspy from the whole ordeal. "What are you two doing here?!" Mack scrutinized them, a small glint of displeasure showing in her dark eyes.

"Wha_?" Brady and Bree shared a look, showcasing their confusion. Did Mack not realize they both jumped in to save her? What did she mean asking them what they were doing? They had come to help her! "What happened to the storm?" The sudden question caused the trio to briefly pause, gazing at the clear sky overhead and the practically-motionless ocean water around them. This was definitely not how it had looked when Mack fell into the water.

Breathlessly paddling, they all glanced around, unable to come up with a good enough answer as to why the storm had disappeared. How long had they been underwater? Bree turned to the side, seeing Grandpa's board floating plainly on the water a few feet away. She had just seen it ripping through a set of waves towards shore after depositing Mack into the water, and now it just so happened to be sitting right there beside her? "Come on, let's get your board," Brady motioned, swimming over to the object with Mack behind him. The other brunette simply stared around, fighting to keep her head above water. If the board was here, where was the Jet Ski?

Soon joined by her cousin and Brady, they set off to shore, all tense with uncertainty as to why everything seemed so calm. With her feet now in place on the wet sand compacted beneath her, Bree felt the weight settled on her chest lighten; at least, they were on solid ground. "What did you two do?!" Mack hollered, upset that they had gone after her.

"We tried to save you," Bree defended, slightly hurt Mack didn't see that they had done what they did for her own good. "Yeah," the blonde boy agreed, "This is the part where you tell me 'I'm your hero' and you shower me with kisses!"

"I didn't _need_ saving!" Mack insisted, "This is my last chance to ride that monster wave before I leave _forever_! And instead, I end up here and_" Halted abruptly, indistinguishable sounds came from her open mouth as the older female gaped forward, now on her knees, but her two friends were too busy undoing their life jackets to notice. Mack's held tilted to the side in bafflement while watching the figure of a girl slowly disappear behind a wall built farther up the shore. The fringe of the girl's light pink bikini set shifted quickly as she shimmied in the air, accompanied by the wild ends of her long blonde hair, but no one could look past her bright smile. What was going on?

"Bree," she stated rather calmly, "Brady." "Yeah?" the boy's tone reflected his disappointment, as well as the action of him throwing down his life jacket, but it wasn't until Mack called their names again that both teens looked up. "What…?" her cousin whispered while inching closer to the wall; bits of music making its way to their ears. "Yeah?" Brady asked again, his attention now following the two girls as they walked off.

" _Sunshine and sweet harmonies…"_ The three peered over several crates littered with fishing nets only to see a collection of teenagers covering the beach. The colors dancing before them were unreal in their vividness; swimsuits dating back to the older eras, surfboards appearing like they had during Grandpa's youth, beach balls making holes in the blue sky, and an intangible sense of happiness that just screamed to anyone witnessing it. _"Time to play…"_

" _No more…complications."_ The sound of laughter was so persistent, it was almost like the cries from seagulls usually filling the sky, mixing in with the uncharacteristic harmonizing that swept over the sand with its tune. Teenagers were everywhere, boys and girls, dancing, playing, _anything._ It was the most activity Bree had ever seen in one place. Mack lightly bumped her and Brady's arms, casting their attention over to the crowd in the water as they all splashed and partied without a care in the world. _"From now on, just – good vibrations!"_

The music seemed to be picking up while a spotless, old Ford pulled in at the beach's edge. An impossible amount of people unloaded from the car, some carrying beach toys, surfboards or towels, though a few others got off and simply shouted their excitement. Bree merely stared in amazement. This could not be real.

"Maybe we're dead," Mack suggested, frantically searching for a plausible answer as to what was going on. "We've died and ended up in a _musical_!"

Brady and Bree said nothing, just looked at her and turned away; trying to figure out if what she said had any possible truth to it. If they were all really dead, then why would they end up in a musical? How had they died anyway? Bree didn't remember feeling any pain when she dove after her friends. She would feel something if she'd died, right? Unfortunately, she didn't have any more time to ponder the idea as Brady and Mack pulled her away from the edge. One of the male teens parting from the crowd as he began to sing.

" _On my way, feelin' fine. I can see my reflection in my surfboard's shine. I can hardly wait, to cause a commotion. Come on everyone, jump into the ocean!"_ The boy passed the three as they stood dumbfounded on the sand, watching everyone unexpectedly chase after him and form formations as if this had all been rehearsed. _"Flyin' high! Just outta reach! No ands, ifs, buts, we're nuts for the beach!"_

" _Surf! Surf! Surf, surf crazy!"_ The others dancing also joined him in song as well, singing while they ran around with their boards and towels. _"Ride the perfect wave. Say hi to the sky!"_ Brady unknowingly bobbed his head along with the tune, gripping the edge of a surfboard beside Bree and Mack. The older brunette gave him a scolding look once noticing his antics, which stopped the boy's mouthing all together, but did nothing for the others jumping around on the beach. _"Surf, sun, sand! It's a bikini wonderland! Summer's ours, and we've gone, surf, surf crazy!"_

Out of everything going on in that moment, Bree was hoping to register at least a piece of the words, but there was so much to focus on, it was nearly impossible. The tune was familiar, that was for sure, and Brady appeared to know it too, but she just couldn't place it. She watched as the group took another formation for the next verse, and had to step so not to get kicked by one of the dancers. _"The radio blasts, and here's the plan. We'll soak up the sun, and get the ultimate tan! We can hardly wait – to show our devotion! Here we go again, into the ocean!"_

Bree cringed as all of the girls lying on a towel did a strange thing with their backs at the word 'tan', and mentally prepared herself for more. How long could these people go at it? And why was this song so familiar? _"Now's the time, so here's the speech. No rules at all, have a ball on the beach!"_ True to their 'oh-so' clever pun, everyone had managed to snag a beach ball within the two seconds the song gave them before the chorus started up again which left the three teens completely bewildered. How was all this stuff happening?

" _Surf! Surf! Surf, surf crazy! Ride the perfect wave. Say hi to the sky!"_ Out of nowhere, a group was now riding surfboards out on the ocean, keeping perfect balance as a number of girls were seated atop their male partners' shoulders. In time with the beat and everything, their dances remained consistent along with their words. _"Surf, sun, sand! It's a bikini wonderland! Summer's ours, and we've gone surf, surf crazy!"_ Helping the girls down onto the boards in front of them, none of the pairs slipped or even looked troubled atop their boards which made Bree extremely perplexed. She could barely stay on her board for long by herself, how could they possibly be able to do that?!

The hoard rushed past them again after coming out of the water; laughter and smiles still in place while the music played, but the three teens watched with confused scowls. "We're in the movie." Both brunettes faced Brady once hearing what he said, not quite comprehending what he meant. "Movie?" Mack questioned. "What movie?" "Our movie!" Brady excitedly bumped Bree's shoulder with his own, "Wet Side Story!"

" _What?!_ " The older female screeched, clearly concerned and displeased, "How?! Why?!" "All viable questions," Brady shrugged, obviously not that upset about their predicament. Everything was happening so fast; there was so much to take in, but Bree did manage to run through her mind, Brady's explanation. It was the opening song at the beginning of the movie! That's why it was so familiar! She'd heard it dozens of times around the shack, and now, they were actually _in_ the movie, getting to see the characters perform it firsthand. "Well, what do we do?" her voice cut through to her cousin and her friend, bringing to light, possibly the most important thing at the moment. "Have fun! WOAH!"

Taking off after Brady as he merged with the passing crowd, Bree joined in on the song, smiling bigger than she had in ages now that she knew what was happening. This was real. They were really here, inside her favorite movie. Why not have a little fun? The two stood at the end of the line, mimicking the dance moves they had memorized since they were children.

" _Burgers hot, water warm. A cool seaside bash!"_ Brady started the wave with a mere kick forward, and everyone just went with it, continuing on down the line. In return, the group was suddenly passing down a bucket of seawater, _"Catch a wave. Turn it up. Make a splash, make a splash, make a splash!"_

Unknowingly, when Brady turned to empty out the water, he actually dumped it all over Mack who had just caught up with them. "Cray-zay!" the group announced together as her cousin spat out some of the water. Bree couldn't help but laugh, glancing the other way right in time to see them all start their limbo line-up which named their characters at the beginning of the movie.

"I'm Tanner."

"Seacat."

"Giggles."

"Rascal."

"Kiki!"

"Bree!"

"Brady!"

Lastly was her cousin, who fumbled into the limbo stick, dazedly turning around to see everyone looking at her expectantly. "I'm Mack…" _"Cowabunga attack!"_

Her negativity did nothing to dampen their spirits, as the song persisted into a long dance number. Dozens of surfboards were picked up and used to create different shapes, beach balls were back to being thrown, and the amount of white smiles was ultimately blinding. Bree and Brady kept up with the others, having known the beats and when to hit each mark, but Mack was essentially lost. Scrambling about while everyone else knew exactly where to go, the younger brunette watched amusedly as her cousin ran this way and that. After a repeat of the chorus accompanied by a lot of synchronized dance, everyone laid out on their surfboards, leaving Mack the only person standing amongst the whole crowd.

"Well that happened," she breathed, jumping sky-high as the music picked up for the last few beats. All the surfers sat up and happily fell back on their boards again, this time being the last. "This is fantastic!" Bree squealed, running up to stand with Mack. "Ca-razzay, right?!" Brady chimed in, imitating how the other surfers spoke. "I'd say so," Mack nodded, clearly meaning she thought everyone here was out of their minds.

In unison, everyone leapt up and began sprinting to the nearest structure, which just so happened to be the infamous Big Momma's. Bree had to stop a moment and stare, taking in every inch of the large shack with a growing smile. She'd always dreamt of getting to visit this place, and now it was actually coming true! They were in the movie! Brady quickly latched onto her arm, pulling the younger brunette back into the hollering crowd as everyone slipped inside. Surfer after surfer filed in with their friends, walking in the restaurant as if it were there home, eagerly chattering along the way, until Brady opened his mouth.

"Ah, that was awesome!" he called, causing everyone to practically freeze and turn to look at the trio that stood in the doorway. "I mean," he paused, trying to correct his mistake, "insane…" This caused several of them to tilt their heads in confusion, obviously not understanding his attempts to blend in with the group. Mack smiled stiffly at his side, while Bree tried to hide herself behind his shoulder, not enjoying all of the attention. "Um, what up dog?" seemed to be what Brady finally settled for.

Seacat stepped forward, nonchalantly taking off his shades with a chuckle. "Far out, he thinks we're animals." "No, no, it's an expression, it-it means…you know what he's right, it does sound ridiculous," Mack's voice grew to a whisper. Several of the characters simply stared at them for what felt like the longest time, until Seacat tried to make sense of the situation. "And where you cats from?"

"Oh, so cats is okay, but dogs is weird?" Mack whispered to her cousin, clearly not understanding the movie's way of speaking. If only she'd paid a little more attention to the movie instead of calling it silly all those times, then maybe they wouldn't have been stuck in this uncomfortable predicament. "Just follow my lead," Brady released through clenched teeth. "Is it leading us home?" she quipped. "We're from ah…not far away," he stated just as Mack claimed the opposite, where they both tried to amend their mistake by saying what the other said, and just creating an even bigger mess. Bree smacked her own forehead, hoping that this would all just blow over.

"Right, not far, but_" "But far, a…a close far." It looked as if the older brunette couldn't make sense of her own words, and Bree quietly shook her head at the two. Seacat on the other hand, did not look the slightest bit amused, and called forward another one of the characters. "Hey Rascal?" "Yeah, Seacat?" The usually squirrelly character popped up behind him, flickering his eyes back and forth between the newcomers and his friend.

"Seems to me we've got some unwanted hodads_" "Hodads!" Rascal emphasized, causing all the others to jump. "That we need to put the kibosh_" "Kibosh!" Tired of his antics, Seacat and Giggles both glanced back at him in annoyance.

"No, no, no, no, you got it all wrong," Bree started, speaking up for the first time. Though his gaze did move to her, Seacat still didn't seem to budge in his decision. "We don't jelly_" "Jelly!" Rascal shouted, which had his friend now glaring at him before Seacat continued, "Roll to outsiders."

All of the surfers watched them carefully, anticipating what Seacat would say next, and Bree could feel the tension in the room thicken. Suddenly, a roar sounded from the doorway behind them, mimicking the loud crack of thunder which sent everyone running for cover. Brady dragged the two girls away from the entrance and behind the safety of some decorations in the corner. "This is Big Momma's, the restaurant where the surfers and bikers all hang," he explained to a puzzled-looking Mack. "Bikers? What bikers?" Bree and Brady casually pointed towards the door, signaling the exact moment one of the bikers stalked out from the strange mist leaking out from behind the door. The dude carefully adjusted his jacket, making sure everyone saw his club logo stitched into the leather on his back before turning around and combing back his slick hair.

"Each gang wants the other one gone so they can have it for themselves," Bree pointed to the other door just as two finely-dressed biker girls strut through.

"Here comes Butchy, the leader of the motorcycle gang, the Rodents." Brady's excitement was practically identical to that of a child on Christmas, though Mack's disbelieving scowl deepened at his words. " _The Rodents_?"

Right on cue, a classic Harley strolled right on through the doors, and came to a stop just before the steps. Its rider fiercely staring down at the surfers gathered in a huddle from behind his dark shades. "How cool is that?" Bree chirped, unable to keep her eyes from examining the handsome face she'd only seen on screen.

"So we landed in the middle of a surf-and-turf war?"

Uh oh. She didn't think about that.

* * *

So, this is Chapter Two! I hope you enjoyed! I really appreciate everyone who has reviewed so far! Please, keep the feedback coming! I'm still unsure if I'm going to continue this or not, so hopefully some of you guys will be able to make up my mind for me.

Thanks again, don't forget to favorite and follow so you know when I update, and I'll talk to you guys again in the next chapter!


End file.
